Worldly Adventurer
by ZuttoAragi
Summary: Bell has made his first trip into the Dungeon. Nothing could have prepared him for what he encounters.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

 **Hello, and greetings, everyone! I am here with yet another new story, but this is actually new. Somewhat. The story of the Worldly Adventurer! Anyway, it is a crossover, as always, mainly of Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon and Dragonar Academy, with others, and a harem story, as usual. The main character this time around is Bell Cranel. As per usual, Bakuto Masaki is along for the ride. So without further ado, away we go!**

* * *

A boy with short, messy, silver-white hair and ruby red eyes, wearing a playing, black and beige outfit with scant armor overtop ran through the streets of a busy city with great excitement. ' _Oh this is great! I finally did it!_ ' He grinned as he ran down a side street, into an old, rundown church, and into a small door at the back of the main hall leading into a room at the bottom of a set of stairs and burst into the room. "Goddess!"

"Huh? Bell?" questioned a girl with long, glossy black hair tied in twintails with weak blue ties, bright sapphire blue eyes, wearing an extremely tight, very short, white dress with a blue ribbon looped around her arms, back and waist, long white gloves, and white sandals, though what stood out most was, despite her childish appearance overall, were her voluptuous breasts, held aloft by the ribbon, as she sat on a stool. "And I thought I asked you to call me Hestia."

Ignoring her, Bell ran up to her with excitement. "Goddess, Goddess! I did it!"

Deciding not to press the issue, Hestia just sighed and continued the conversation. "Did what?"

"I did it! I killed a Goblin!"

Hestia blinked a few times, as if waiting for something. "… A Goblin?"

Bell nodded with energy. "Yep! One almost killed me when I was a little, but this time I won!"

"A Goblin?" she repeated.

Bell nodded, though slightly slower as he noticed her expression.

"You killed a Goblin? The weakest enemy in the Dungeon?"

Bell winced slightly and nodded slowly. "… Y – Yes…"

"And ran all the way back here to tell me?"

Bell stood up from where he was, his face lowered as he turned around. "… I'm sorry to bother you."

Hestia blinked in confusion before suddenly getting up to chase him. "Huh? Wait, Bell, I didn't mean it like –!" unfortunately he had already left. "Bell!"

* * *

Bell made his way back to the main road and towards the center of town, upon which sat a massive, white tower reaching into the sky, then made his way into the base of the tower, a large room with many doors, people of various races coming and going from them like a sea, Bell choosing one and going in, crawling down a ladder, and into an earthen tunnel beneath, leading into the massive labyrinth beneath the city, the Dungeon.

Bell breathed a heavy sigh as he walked through the tunnel into the main shaft of the Dungeon. "I guess she's right… I shouldn't have gotten so excited… It's not a great accomplishment at all." Shaking his head and pumping a fist with determination, he said to himself, "Right… so I need to kill some more Monsters and collect their… what was it called? Magic Stones." He stopped when he spotted such a Monster ahead of him, a wolf-like humanoid with fur along its back. "That's… a Kobold, I think." He pulled a small dagger from its sheath on his back and rushed at the beast.

Unfortunately his footsteps were heavy and graceless enough the beast heard him and dodged his swipe, huffing in what he swore was a laugh, before taking a swing at him with the leg bone in its grip.

"Hold still!" he growled, narrowly side-stepping its attack and hacking at its arm, hitting just the right spot to dislocate and sever the arm at the elbow.

The beast howled in pain and ran off, trailing blood along the ground as it did.

"Get back here!" he shouted before pursuing it, following it around a corner and suddenly finding his vision obscured as his head was sandwiched in wonderful softness.

A tall, beautiful woman with long, knee-length blonde hair, and bright blue eyes wearing scant white armor that more closely resembled a swimsuit than armor, save for a heavy collar around her neck, a cape along her back, and a massive sword slung over shoulders, looked down to notice the silver-haired boy stuck and struggling in her vast cleavage.

Planting his hands firmly, Bell gasped as he pushed himself free of the would-be trap and gasped deeply.

"Are you alright?" the blonde asked.

"Y – Yeah… I'm fine…" he sighed before noticing someone next to the blonde, an equally tall, dark-skinned woman with long, wild brown hair that reached her plump ass, and dark blue eyes wearing thigh-high black boots with grey accents, a very low-cut yellow dress that showed almost all of her immense bust, a huge hammer with spikes slung across her back.

The blonde nodded appreciatively. "I see. Good to know."

The dark-skinned woman, however, smirked with amusement. "What a brave little rabbit. Fondling Ver like that."

Bell blinked in confusion before realizing his hands had been, and still were, planted firmly on the blonde's soft globes. He paled and leapt back, bowing deeply. "I'M SORRY!"

The blonde tilted her head in confusion. "For what?"

Bell looked up at her in bewilderment. "… H – Huh…?"

"What are you apologizing for?"

He stood up straight and looked at her in bewilderment. "I – I just… your…"

The busty blonde tilted her head in confusion, before her companion waved a hand dismissively. "Ah don't worry Little Rabbit. Ver here doesn't get mad over accidental boob groping."

Bell did not know whether to sigh in relief or concern. "… A – Ah… wait, who are you?"

The blonde introduced herself first. "My name is Veronica Lautreamont."

The brunette added, "I'm Mulkula, and I'm her bodyguard or partner, depends on who you ask, she's perfectly capable of defending herself."

Bell blinked and looked at the tall blonde, the massive sword strapped to her back. "Why would you need a bodyguard?"

Veronica took a moment to answer. "… No reason."

Bell was even more confused.

She decided to change the subject. "So, what are you doing here?"

Bell shook his head and focused back on what was around him. "I – I'm an Adventurer. Sort of. This is my first day in the Dungeon."

Veronica frowned in disappointment. "Ah. I see. Then I assume you have one of those Falna curses?"

"Don't you mean blessings?"

"I mean what I said."

His bewilderment over the two women in front of him was growing stronger. "I… see. Anyway, yes, I have a Falna. I'm part of the Hestia Familia. It's only member, actually…"

The until now flat-expressioned Mulkula smirked slightly. "So it's you and a Goddess all alone together?"

"Yes…?" he answered, confused.

"How much fun you have with her every night?"

Bell tilted his head before shrugging and answering the best he could. "We're usually pretty tired, so not much, I guess."

"Oh? You two tire yourselves out so fast huh?"

"Yeah. We don't get a lot of time at home each night."

Mulkula frowned before sighing in disappointment. "… I get the feeling we're not talking about the same thing."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sex," she answered bluntly, causing Bell's face to become an even deeper red than his ruby eyes.

"What!? I – I – I'd never do something like that with the Goddess! I've never even done it before with anyone…!"

Mulkula frowned even more. "… Hey, kid, how old are you?"

"Huh? Um… fourteen, why?"

"… Eh? What's such a little tyke doing in the Dungeon?"

Bell frowned as his brow lowered somberly. "My Aunt Palu died a few weeks ago, and I couldn't tend her farm by myself. So I came here. And I always loved hearing her talk about Orario and its Adventurers."

"Hunters are superior," Veronica retorted.

Bell just stared at her in confusion. "What's a Hunter?"

The blonde frowned in disappointed annoyance. "… What?"

Mulkula turned to her blonde companion. "Ver, I think we should save this Little Rabbit from being fooled."

"I don't see how it involves us."

"I don't see how it involves us."

"Aw, come on…"

"If you bring him along he's your responsibility."

"Right!"

Bell just tilted his head in confusion.

* * *

Outside the Dungeon, Bell just sat in bewilderment as Mulkula dragged him out by his arm. "Come on Little Rabbit!"

"I – I need to hunt in the Dungeon for Magic Stones!" he protested.

"Those things give very little money, Little Rabbit."

"But it's the only choice I have!"

"See, Ver? This kid needs a lot of help."

"I can see that, I just don't see what it has to do with us."

"Let… go!" Bell protested before ripping his arm away from Mulkula, though she kept his sleeve.

Veronica's eyes widened when she saw the large, winding, snaking tattoo going up Bell's entire arm, which immediately grabbed.

"H – Hey!"

"This mark… where did you get it?"

"Huh? I… don't really remember. Why?"

"This is a Starbrand. And a highly unusual one."

"A what?"

Veronica then stood up straight and turned to Mulkula. "You have some impeccable luck."

The dark-skinned woman tilted her head curiously.

"We'll be taking you with us for a bit," Veronica explained to a now very worried Bell.

"Great…"

* * *

Bell frowned as he followed the two. "Why are we heading outside the city…?"

"Collecting, Rabbit," Mulkula answered.

"Collecting… what?"

"The expensive stuff," Mulkula replied.

Veronica looked around in thought. "Hm… where would be good…?"

Bell tried to sneak away while the two looked around, but before he could, Veronica grabbed him by the collar.

"This way," she declared as she dragged him. "A good prey should be over here."

Bell groaned as he struggled in her grasp. "That's fine but why am I coming…?"

"To show you what a Hunter is."

He stopped struggling at that and looked up at her in surprise.

Mulkula walked beside her with her arms folded. "So we're hunting a Barroth I take it?"

Veronica nodded in return. "Yes. While I would prefer tracking down a Rath, I'm not sure Bell would survive the journey."

The boy's face went as white as his hair.

Mulkula groaned in annoyance. "Great… Gonna end up getting mud everywhere."

"Can someone please explain what's going on…?"

"Explain what?"

"What we're doing, where we're going, what a Barroth is! Anything!?"

Veronica stopped and dropped him, staring at him in disappointment. "… You really don't know much of anything."

Mulkula decided to explain. "We're showing you what Hunters do. We're heading to an area Barroths frequent." She pointed over a hill to a large mud pit, in the middle of which was a massive, reptilian behemoth covered in scales that resembled stone.

"I – It's huge!" the boy shouted.

Veronica looked over the beast from afar. "Hm… it looks a bit small."

Bell's face went white. "Huh?! But it's over ten meders tall!"

"Most are about seventeen."

"Hah!?"

Grabbing the hilt of her sword, Veronica urged, "Just stay here and watch. You should be safe from its rocks at this distance."

"Yeah," Mulkula answered before pulling the massive hammer over back and wielding it with one hand.

Bell gaped, but his eyes went even wider when drawing their weapons exposed the women's backs, and he realized they were completely bare, not covered in the tattoo-like Falna all Adventurers have. "Wh – What the…?"

"I assume you know that plan?" Veronica asked.

Mulkula huffed as she slammed the head of her hammer into the ground. "Duh, we've killed a few before."

Without another word, Veronica shot forward like lighting towards the Barroth, getting its attention from its mud rolling as she slammed her sword down on one the holes atop its crown-like head.

The beast howled in pain and tried to swing its head at Veronica, who easily dodged.

Seeing her cue, Mulkula slammed the hammer down in front of her, the momentum sending her flying into the air, flipping several times before she swung the hammer down, smashing it firmly on the Barroth's head, cracking its crest and embedding it in the ground.

The beast growled and swung its tail up to try and crush her but she jumped back, causing the Barroth to smash itself in the head, after which it stood up, dazed and dizzy.

Veronica rushed forward and raised her sword, slicing open the beast's neck, blood spraying everywhere as it gurgled on its own fluids before collapsing, dead.

Bell gaped in awe as the beast collapsed, Veronica and Mulkula seemingly not even fatigued. "Wh – Whoa…" After a moment, he noticed that beast's body was lying there still. "Um… shouldn't it have dissolved by now?"

Veronica shook her head as she approached the corpse. "No. Only those frail creatures you call Monsters do that. These are true Monsters," she explained as she swung her sword, cutting off its tail. "And they are a force of nature itself, not like those pitiful beasts you find in that Dungeon."

Bell frowned in confusion as Veronica continued cutting up the body. "If you hate it so much, why were you there?"

"My sister needed some Drop Items from the Sixtieth Floor," she answered as she cut off chunks of its hide.

"Your sister?"

"Yes, Cassandra Lautreamont, she runs the Guild."

"Ah. Wait, WHAT!?"

"What?" she asked as she ripped out one of its teeth.

"Your sister runs the Guild!?"

"Of course. Who else?"

"I thought it was run by a God…"

Veronica just huffed as she gathered more pieces of the Barroth. "No God would be stupid enough to think of trying that."

"Trying what…?"

Changing the subject as she leaned on her hammer, Mulkula questioned, "So, what'd you think?"

Bell frowned in thought for a moment. "How are you able to do all that?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have any Falna. Humans aren't strong enough to fight Monsters without it."

Veronica sighed as she stood up. "Another lie you've been fed. Humans do not need the gods. We've done just fine for thousands of years without them. On the contrary, they need us."

He blinked in bewilderment.

"Gods and Goddesses are sustained by the faith and worship mortals provide them. Since they're not in their immortal world anymore, they use the Falna. They grant mortals slightly increased power, but in return they have influence over how powerful that mortal can get, what they can actually do, and they feed off the mortal's life force. It's only good for those that have no real power beforehand. But those that actually have power that get a Falna instantly loose that strength. Because the Falna starts everyone at the same starting point, meaning while weak are brought up, the strong are held back. Plus, it's a crutch. Anything achieved with a Falna wasn't achieved on your own, but with the power of one of those Gods behind you. And all of the Abilities that Adventurers 'learn' are ones that are tied to said Gods. So unless the God your serving has a predilection for a certain skill, you will never learn it no matter how hard you try."

Mulkula twisted the handle of her hammer and pulled it out to reveal a long blade and began removing he Barroth's crown. "So who's your Goddess, Little Rabbit?"

"Hestia…"

Veronica frowned in thought. "Goddess of the Home and Hearth. Not one suited for combat at all."

"… Don't…"

"Hm?"

"Don't insult her like that! She was the only one who would accept me… I tried so many Familias… and they all threw me out…"

"Right… and my saying she's not a Goddess suited for combat insults her… how?"

Bell stiffened and just remained silent.

"It just means that you shouldn't expect too much in the way of combat prowess from her Familia unless you're already inclined to that field."

"O – Oh…"

Veronica sighed as she and Mulkula packed up the last few pieces of Barroth parts. "There. That's all of the pieces we can use. Now to drop off the hides and bones to the Hephaestus Familia and the meat to a restaurant."

Bell frowned in confusion. "What about the Magic Stone?"

"Beasts like this generally don't have one. Their hides, bones, and meat are what's valuable. Since they don't evaporate when killed, their meat can be used to cook, and their hides and bones can be used to make tools, weapons, and armor. Most of the people inside of Orario aren't aware of this since they rarely venture outside the city, and are only concerned with the Dungeon. Killing one Beast would give you more money than an entire day in the Dungeon's upper levels."

"Yep," Mulkula added as she sheathed her blade back into the hammer's handle. "Though the more powerful Beasts are where the real Vals are at. Though you usually want a party of at least four people to take them on."

"I – I see…"

"Especially Azure Ratholos. Those things are fiercer than any Wyrm, aside from some of the strongest Maestros."

Bell frowned in confusion. "Maestros?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with for now."

"Right…" he muttered with a frown before changing the subject. "Can I ask you something?"

"Only if you can ask and walk at the same time."

Following the two, he continued. "Why are you two helping me? I don't even know you."

Veronica stopped momentarily before glancing back at him. "… You remind me of someone."

"I… see?"

"Good that you do."

Bell sighed before realizing that the sun was going down and paled. "Crap! It's almost dark and I didn't get anything from the Dungeon…!"

The two women glanced back at him in thought.

"I didn't earn any money…!"

Mulkula raised an eyebrow in thought. "Did you think we would keep all the Vals for ourselves?"

He stuttered in confusion before Veronica dropped a small satchel in his hand. Looking in it, his eyes went wide as it held several gold coins inside. "Th – These are… hundred Val coins…! Wh – Why?"

"Why what?" the blonde retorted as the group walked.

"Why'd you give me this? I didn't do anything…"

Mulkula sighed before scratching her head in thought. "Eh. Just consider it her way of saying sorry for dragging you out. I consider it a way to show you just how much Hunters make compared to Adventurers."

"R – Right…"

* * *

Making his way back to the old church, Hestia looked at the pile of gold coins in awe. "Whoa! Bell, this is amazing! This is over fifteen hundred Vals!" However, her excitement immediately gave way to terror as her mind spun stories of insanity. "… You didn't…"

Bell just looked at her in confusion. "Didn't what?"

Hestia rushed to his side immediately with a stern expression on her face. "Did you meet any strange women today?"

Thinking back to Veronica and Mulkula, strange was certainly one way he would describe them. "Um… yeah, kinda."

Hestia's fear heightened. "… Did they do anything weird to you?"

"… How did you…?"

Her skin went even paler than normal.

"Goddess? How did you know they took me outside the city?"

Without a second thought, Hestia hugged him tightly with tears in her eyes.

Bell went stiff as he was not expecting a hug, plus the soft pillows pressing against his chest.

She urged with tears, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Bell."

Bell blinked and looked down at her in growing bewilderment. "Eh? What are you talking about…?"

"What those women did to you!" she cried out.

"All they did was take me outside of town and showed me what Hunters do."

Hestia's tears stopped as she looked up at Bell with a flat expression. "… Eh?" After a moment she put distance between herself and Bell, her face a vibrantly growing red.

"G – Goddess…?"

"Y – Yes!?" she stammered loudly.

"Are you okay, Goddess?"

"J – Just fine!"

"I – If you say so…" Changing the subject, he looked down at the small pile of gold coins. "Anyway, this is a lot of Vals. I think."

"It is…" Hestia remarked, sighing in relief as the tension in the air lifted.

Bell then looked to Hestia in thought. "Hey, Goddess, have you ever heard of Hunters before?"

Hestia blinked a couple times before putting a hand on her chin in deep thought. "Hm… I think so… I overheard Hephaestus talking about them before… Why?"

"Veronica said Hunters are more powerful than Adventurers," he answered, after which Hestia went suddenly silent. "Um… Goddess? Are you okay?"

"Fine," she bit back.

He then realized her twintails were twitching furiously and decided she was upset about something. "I'm… going to put the money away."

* * *

The next morning, Bell sighed as he made his way to the Dungeon with a heavy step. "Why was the Goddess so mad this morning…?" He stopped when he saw Mulkula sitting by the large fountain in front of the Dungeon's entrance. "… Oh boy…"

Seeing him, Mulkula waved with a smirk, her orbs swaying bountifully with each movement. "Yo! Little Rabbit! Had a feeling you'd be here today!"

Bell gulped as he walked up to her. "Are we heading out again…?" he asked with worry.

Mulkula waved his question off. "Nah, I just wanted to see how you do your 'Adventurer' thing."

"Um… okay?"

"Basically, I'm gunna follow you into the Dungeon and just watch, maybe bail ya out if you get in over yer head."

Bell just nodded slowly.

"So just try and pretend like a busty Amazon isn't following you, 'kay?"

"R – Right…"

"Now let's get going, Little Rabbit!"

* * *

Inside the Dungeon, Mulkula hung back around a corner as Bell faced down a couple Kobolds.

Bell clumsily dodged the swipe of the first before thrusting his dagger, only for the second Kobold to smack him in the arm.

She frowned as she watched him. ' _He needs to work on his situational awareness._ '

He took a swing at the first Kobold, but his dagger's reach was too small and he missed, so he swung his leg out and just kicked it instead.

' _He needs a weapon with much longer reach than that. He's more fit for a shortsword._ '

Bell growled as the second Kobold's makeshift bone weapon smacked him in the arm and stabbed at it, digging his knife into the beast's hand before backhanding it hard, snapping its neck, only for the first Kobold to slash at him from behind.

She sighed in exasperation. ' _And he needs to make sure that when an opponent's down, it stays down._ '

He thrust his dagger at the Kobold, snagged his foot on a rock and tripped, though his blade still managed to sink into the Monster's chest, killing it.

Mulkula slapped a hand over her face in disbelief. ' _That win was from sheer luck. Geez… whoever raised him did a horrible job at combat._ '

Bell sighed as he picked up the slain Monster's Magic Stones and looked around. "That was close…" He frowned in thought as he looked at the pathways surrounding him. "Okay… I came from that way, so I'll go… that way," he decided before heading off in that direction.

His dark-skinned observer just watched in frustration. ' _He doesn't even have a good sense of tracking. It's going to take a lot of work to turn him into a Hunter…_ '

* * *

Mulkula walked up to Bell as he picked up the spoils of a battle with a small group of Goblins and smacked him on the head. "If I'd been anything big and hungry, you'd be lunch."

Bell just pouted as he stuffed the small purple crystals in a pouch on his waist.

"Say, Little Rabbit, who taught you to fight?"

He blinked in thought at her question. "Huh? No one."

Mulkula was so surprised she almost wanted to laugh. "… No one?"

Bell tilted his head in confusion. "Um… yeah, why?"

The woman sighed heavily. "Well that explains a lot."

Bell was even more confused.

"Nothing. Just keep going, I've seen what I need to, so just don't get yourself killed while I'm gone."

"Okay…?"

* * *

"Well?" Veronica questioned as she sat in a large bath, Mulkula walking up behind her.

Sighing, the woman reported, "I've got bad news and I've got worse news."

Veronica sighed heavily.

"His combat skills are atrocious. He has no sense of awareness, his reflexes are made for a weapon larger than what he's got, and he doesn't know to double-tap opponents. He also doesn't have a proper tracking mind. And to make matters worse, he's never been trained to fight. By anyone. Ever. He seems to have some good instincts buried in there, but the dagger he uses is too short to make use of them."

Veronica furrowed her brow in thought. "Hm… I see…" Quietly, she said to herself, "He must have had his memories wiped at some point."

"You say something, Ver?"

"No, it's nothing," she answered before standing out of the bath. "For now, leave him to his own devices, I need to decide how to proceed."

Mulkula frowned slightly in thought. "Ya know, I'm sticking with the Little Rabbit because he's just as cute as hell, why do you care so much about him? After you saw that tattoo thing you changed."

"… It's not a tattoo."

The dark-skinned beauty looked at her, confused.

"It's called a Starbrand. A unique mark given out by Naga, the Mother Dragon. It plants the soul of a dragon inside the body of a mortal to one day be born, and act as their partner and steed, called a Pal. That boy's is one completely unique from any other."

"Really?"

"And far larger than most as well."

Mulkula grinned with interest. "Neat. Cute and special."

"Indeed," Veronica remarked before looking around. "Now, where did Primrose put my armor?"

* * *

Bell frowned as he traded in the Magic Stones he had collected, and received a sum of seventy-five Vals in return. "So little… I guess Hunters really do make more…" Sighing somberly, he walked down the street, before becoming momentarily distracted by a shop nearby with a large assortment of weapons, tools, and armor inside, his eyes locked on a single shortsword, though seeing the price caused his heart to sink. "Maybe some day…" As he continued walking, he furrowed his brow in thought. "I wonder if I'll see them again tomorrow…"

* * *

Nearby, Hestia watched from around the corner as Bell looked inside the window of the shop. She frowned in thought before smirking. ' _Finally, my chance to apologize to Bell and do something truly goddess worthy!_ ' However, her face went white when she approached the storefront and saw the price on the shortsword he had been eying. ' _I can't afford that! Damn it…!_ ' She just sighed and began walking back to the church, stopping when she noticed a clothing store with a pair of hair ties inside shaped like flowers with bells on them. However, she shook her head and slapped her cheeks softly. ' _No, I can't! If I can't even afford to give Bell something he needs, I can't afford to get something like that!_ '

As she walked away, however, Bell walked up to the shop and looked at the same hair ties, the tag on them reading a cost of thirty-five thousand Vals. "… I need to find those two…"

* * *

The next day, Bell sighed as he walked into the large building housing the Guild when he was approached by a young woman with short, straight-cut brown hair, bright green eyes, and pointed ears, wearing a very formal suit that still managed to show her curves. "Huh? Miss Eina?"

"I've been hearing rumors you were out of the city the other day with Veronica Lautreamont," she explained with a concerned frown.

Bell blinked in thought. "Oh, so that's her full name?"

Eina gaped slightly in disbelief. "… Do you… do you even know who she is?"

Bell just shook his head in denial. "No, not really. Just that she's really strong. Her and her friend Mulkula easily took down this huge monster outside the city."

Eina's frown deepened. "… Bell, you need to stay away from that woman."

The boy looked at her, confused. "Eh? Why?"

"Do you know about the kingdoms on this continent?"

Bell shook his head slowly. "No, not really."

"… Seriously?" Eina sighed and motioned to a room at the back. "Okay… come with me."

He nodded, still somewhat confused, but followed her anyway.

* * *

Eina and Bell stood inside of a small room with a single window, a table in the center flanked by two small sofas.

The pointy-eared woman proceeded to lay a large map on the table showing a landmass shaped like a dragon with several shapes carved out on it. "Okay, the continent is called Arc Strada, and it's made up of five nations. The Atismata Kingdom, the Lautreamont Knight Kingdom, the Re-Estize Kingdom, the Slane Theocracy, and the Baharuth Empire. The Atismata Kingdom is the most technologically advanced nation in the world, with their Drag-Ride armors."

"Wow… wait, Drag-Ride?"

"Humanoid armors based on dragons. They allow the user to fly, use extremely powerful weapons, almost anything. Now here's the important part, the city of Orario and part of the surrounding landscape is positioned on the border between Atismata and Lautreamont. That way, Orario belongs to no one nation in particular, and so Orario doesn't have a pull towards one or the other. At least, that's how it works in theory."

"In theory?"

"It's becau –" Eina started only for a tall, beautiful woman with long, straight blonde hair and bright green eyes wearing a pinstripe suit that hung tightly to her body, showing impressive figure, to burst into the room. "M – Madame Director!?"

The woman smirked at Eina. "Ah, there you are."

"Beautiful…" Bell muttered under his breath, though the blonde still ended up hearing him.

"Hm? Ah, you must be Bell, the boy Veronica mentioned."

He just blinked in thought.

"I'm Cassandra Lautreamont, Veronica's sister and the head of the Guild."

Bell nodded in understanding. "Oh. Veronica mentioned you."

Cassandra folded her arms with a huff. "I would hope so," she remarked before her lips curled in an eerie smile as her eyes squinted devilishly, "Otherwise, she and I are going to need to have a… talk." Bell just frowned in confusion as Cassandra changed her focus to Eina. "So, I'm guessing you brought your client here for a little… fun, Eina?"

The brunette's face got so red even her ears turned crimson. "N – N – Nothing of the sort!"

"Oh? Then why are you back here and not doing an work?"

"Education!" she shouted, her voice cracking as she pointed to the map of Arc Strada behind her.

Cassandra just chuckled with a wink, she then turned her attention to Bell, the boy standing with a pensive posture. "Val for your thoughts?"

"I just realized something. You and Veronica, you have the same name as –" he began before the door was slammed open by Mulkula.

"Yo, Little Rab –!" she exclaimed before her brown skin went white as she saw Cassandra. "Shit!" She turned to run but Cassandra was instantly in front of her with that same eerie smile.

"Ah, Mulkula, how nice of you to drop by." Again she tried to flee, but Cassandra grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back, her expression an unflinching smile. "Now, now. It's rude to run from a conversation, don't you know?"

"Ouch, ouch, hurts!"

Cassandra pulled on the thick strands, pulling Mulkula's face right next to her own. "So, did you come here to deliver what I asked of you and Veronica before, or did you both forget?"

"Uuhh…" the Amazon mumbled with a trembling smile.

"… You both forgot, didn't you?" Cassandra asked, her smile growing even wider.

Mulkula desperately pointed to Bell. "W – We ran across the kid!"

"That wasn't part of the deal. Tell me, do you know what I hate most?"

"… S – Spriggans…?"

"Those who break their contracts."

Mulkula began sweating heavily.

"I gave you and Veronica one week to obtain them. It's been ten days."

"W – Well… Ya see it's… We kinda lost the Adamantium Ore chunks on the way back…"

Cassandra's smile widened as her eyes cracked open, her beautiful emerald eyes having a dangerous sparkle to them. "Oh? You just… lost it?"

"Ah, Mulkula, you found hi –" Veronica remarked as she walked up to the room before seeing Cassandra and turned on her heels.

In a flash, Cassandra dropped Mulkula, raced over to Veronica slammed a fist into her abdomen so hard she buckled, Bell cringing from the force of the impact. Her fist still buried in her sister's abdomen, Cassandra commented, "How nice of you to drop by, Veronica."

"S – Sister…" Veronica replied weakly.

She proceeded to pick her sister up bridal style and entered the room, slamming and locking the door behind her. "Now, let's talk about that deal you failed to uphold."

Bell swiftly hid behind Eina as the tension in the room built swiftly.

"Did you think I would just forget?" Cassandra asked coldly.

"No," Veronica answered carefully. "Something more important came up."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes doubtfully.

Veronica then motioned to Bell. "Bell, come here a moment."

"I'm fine here!" he responded loudly, his voice cracking somewhat.

She sighed in annoyance. "Then just roll your left sleeve up."

He nodded slowly before revealing the mark on his arm.

Cassandra's eyes widened momentarily before she very quickly regained her usual composure. "… And?"

That got a small reaction of surprise out of Veronica.

"Can you do what I asked you to or not, 'Iron-Blooded Valkyrie'?"

Veronica hissed somewhat at the mention of her title.

"Now, I gave you ten whole days to go to Floor Sixty and get me Adamantine Ore. And yet you have nothing." She motioned to Veronica's dark-skinned partner and added, "And Mulkula here was kind enough to tell me that you _lost_ it."

Veronica twitched an eyebrow at the brunette.

"Now how are you going to make it up to me my dear, sweet sister? Any ideas? Maybe going back down and getting triple the amount agreed on? No, no. You might lose that shipment again on your way back. Hm… Oh why not. Get me thrice the amount of Adamantine Ore or I take ownership of the Slyvanus."

Her sister bit her lip at the proposal, though Bell raised a hand, confused. "Um… what exactly is Adamantine Ore…?"

Cassandra answered simply, "One of the strongest and hardest metals in the world. Usually used in making armor, blunt weapons, and airship hulls."

"Airship…?"

Ignoring his query, she turned to Veronica. "So, since you seem to be rather clumsy, I'll give you a month, understood, Sister?"

"… Y – Yes…" Veronica answered slowly.

"Good. And remember, triple the amount or the Slyvanus and everything on it is mine."

Veronica's face went white as Cassandra's lips curled in a sadistic smirk.

"Even 'that'."

"N – No!" she begged. "I'll get it done. I'll grab a Supporter to make the job quicker."

"Good," Cassandra answered before leaving with a swish of her hair.

As the tension released slowly, Mulkula turned to the cowering silver-haired boy. "You okay?"

"I don't know…" he muttered.

"I'll assume no on that."

Bell just sighed heavily before remembering why he had wanted to see them in the first place. "… Hey…" he called out nervously.

Veronica hummed slightly as she turned to him.

"Do you… think you could take me on Hunts…?"

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I… I want to get a gift for the Goddess, but it'll take me weeks to afford it going into the Dungeon. But… but Hunters make far more than that! So please take me on a Hunt!"

"No," Veronica answered bluntly, causing Bell to stumble back. "You are too weak, and too unskilled to properly perform a Hunt."

"B – But I…"

"However, I can make you strong enough and skilled enough to be a great Hunter."

"Really?" he asked with excitement.

"Yes. But there is one obstacle in the way. That brand on your back is going to do nothing but slow you down."

Bell's excitement instantly washed away.

"I can give you all the training you will need, but it won't do much good with that Curse deciding how you grow."

Bell frowned somberly again. "… It's not a curse…"

Veronica sighed in exasperation. "Whatever. I'll train you as much as I can, but that brand is going to limit how much I can give you. Understood?"

"Yes…"

"Good. Now, let's go."

* * *

Shortly after, the trio stood again outside the edge of the city, beyond its massively high walls, in a large field.

"Before we can take you on Hunts, you need to be strong," Veronica explained.

Bell nodded in apprehensive understanding. "R – Right."

"Push-ups, sit-ups, and squats, one hundred of each, fifteen chin-ups, and a ten kilomeder run."

Bell's face went almost as white ash is hair. "HAH!?"

"What?"

"Oh come on," Mulkula remarked, "it's not all that rough."

Bell just gulped before beginning the exercises.

* * *

Sometime later, Bell finished his sprint at a dogged pace and collapsed in front of Veronica and Mulkula. "Can't… move…"

Veronica frowned in disappointment. "We haven't even started the skills training."

Bell looked up at her from the ground with exasperated annoyance. "… Why didn't we start with that…?"

"To get you warmed up first."

"Right…"

"Now, I'll give you a few moments to rest, then we're getting started," she remarked before dropping a plain sword onto the ground.

Bell just looked at it puzzled.

"That dagger will be useless against real Monsters, and Mulkula mentioned your fighting style doesn't fit a dagger."

"R – Really?"

Mulkula chuckled lightly with a shrug. "Oh big time. You kept swinging like you had a good few extra celch on your blade."

"Ah…"

"Now, when you're ready," Veronica began, "give it a few swings."

* * *

After resting for a bit, Bell stood, albeit somewhat shakily, and picked up the sword and drew it before taking a few practice swings, blinking in realization. "Huh… this feels a lot better."

"Good to hear. Now we need to teach you to use it," she remarked before picking up a wooden sword.

Bell blinked in concern. "Um… shouldn't I have a wooden sword too?"

"It won't matter," she retorted plainly.

"Okay…?"

"Now come at me."

"R – Right…" he stuttered slightly before tightening his grip on the blade and rushing at Veronica, who quite easily used her blade to smack his aside, knocking him off balance before he faceplanted into the dirt.

Veronica sighed heavily. "This is going to be a long day… Again."

* * *

Bell groaned as he lay in a heap after sparring with Veronica, who stood over him, frowning. "This won't work if you're not taking it seriously."

"Wh – What…?" he stammered as he stood up.

"You have some good instincts in there, but you're too scared to let them loose. You keep holding back your reflexes and strength to not hit me. Which is insulting. So, we're going to kick things up a little."

"Huh?"

Without a word, Veronica picked up her massive sword.

Bell's blood ran cold before Mulkula remarked, "Uh… think that might be going a bit far, Ver…?"

Veronica did not answer and swung at Bell, who narrowly managed to dodge. "Quit dodging!" she shouted before slamming her sword down hard, hitting the ground right next to him and sending dirt flying in all directions.

Bell's eyes went wide with fear before his mind simply went blank.

Veronica raised an intrigued eyebrow before Bell suddenly rushed forward, straight at her, with his sword ready, though she retaliated with her massive blade, which Bell managed to knock away from him with the side of his sword, causing Veronica to smirk slightly.

Bell once more rushed at her, though Veronica knocked him to the side with her fist, he managed to roll with the strike and continue his charge, swinging his blade at her.

"Good," she complimented as she smacked his sword aside, then caught a punch he threw at her, slightly surprised at the force behind it, causing her smirk to widen. She then flicked him on the forehead lightly, causing him to stumble back somewhat. "I think that will do for now."

Bell blinked in bewilderment before stumbling back with a gasp, and then looked around in confusion. "What… just happened."

Veronica frowned in mild disappointment. "You don't… remember?"

Bell shook his head slowly as he stood. "No… all I remember is your blade almost hitting me… and then I passed out." His shoulders slumped deeply. "I suck…"

Veronica's frown deepened. "How strange…"

"Ya don't say…" Mulkula muttered.

"You certainly _do_ have skills, but it seems you can only call on them when in extreme danger."

"What are you talking about? Your sword almost hit me and I just passed out like a loser."

Veronica sighed before turning to her companion. "… Mlukula, next time we train, make sure to record it."

"Got it," she dark-skinned beauty nodded.

Bell just blinked in confusion before Veronica continued, "You did rather well for a first attempt at Hunter training. Once you can do all of those training exercises within an hour and manage to hit me at least twice, I'll take you on a Hunt."

"… R – Right…" he remarked, anxiously before Veronica handed him a small bag. He blinked in confusion and opened it, seeing six gold Val coins inside. "Wh – What…? Why?"

"I know we took you away from the Dungeon today, so consider this compensation."

"Ah… thanks…"

"I assume you'll be here tomorrow?"

"I – If you'll keep training me."

"Good to hear. I'll see you then."

"R – Right."

* * *

"What a day…" Bell groaned as he made his way back to the rundown church, Hestia waiting for him with a grin.

"Welcome home, Bell," she greeted as they both walked in.

Bel just nodded with a tired smile. "Good to see you, Goddess…"

"Bell? What's wrong? You look exhausted."

"Long day… Miss Veronica tired me out completely…"

Hestia gaped in disbelief before Bell handed her the bag of gold. She just stared at it in disbelief. "… Tell me the truth. What are you doing with her?"

"Training."

"… Training for what…?"

"To fight and Hunt."

"If you say so… I thought you wanted to be an Adventurer though?"

Bell sighed with exhaustion. "I do… but there's something I need to do, and I need more Vals quicker than being an Adventurer would allow me to do."

"I see…" ' _Wait… I bet it's a present for some homewrecker!_ ' She was pulled from her thoughts when Bell let out a long, huge yawn.

"I think I'm going to get a little rest… good night…" he mumbled before collapsing onto the couch.

Hestia just stood over him pouting. She clenched her fists in frustration. "Damn it…" she cursed before staring into the sky defiantly. "I swear whoever you are, Veronica, I won't let you get Bell!"

* * *

The next morning, Bell sighed as he woke up with a groan. "A new day…" Stretching his muscles, he noticed Hestia asleep on the floor next to the sofa. Frowning, he picked her up and moved her gently to the bed.

She turned her sleep, mumbling, "Mm… Bell…"

Bell just laughed weakly before leaving quietly.

* * *

In the same field outside the city, Veronica stood with her arms folded before watching as Bell ran up to her. "Ah, you arrived. Good."

"Y – Yeah…" he stammered weakly.

"Got the recorder," Mulkula remarked, holding up a small box.

Bell stared at it curiously. "What's that?"

"A device that records images," Veronica explained, though that only seemed to confuse him further. Sighing, she added, "… It keeps a record of history, like a Memory Stone of sorts."

He made a silent "Oh" as he nodded.

"Forget it. Exercises."

"R – Right…" he stammered.

* * *

Several hours later, Bell lay in a heap on the ground. Veronica sighed as she folded her arms under her globes. "Well, at least you were a little faster than last time. Which is good."

Mulkula looked from behind her recorder and added, "Hey, Ver, maybe we should do his training with swords first from now on?"

"Maybe…" Veronica remarked in thought, Bell just lying on the ground, groaning. "Now then," she remarked, pulling out one of the wooden swords. "Try to take it seriously this time."

Bell gulped before drawing the sword, gripping it somewhat nervously.

"Whenever you're ready."

Bell nodded before charging at her, swinging, though she easily blocked his strike without moving from her spot. "Oh boy…"

"My turn," she announced calmly before swinging her sword with force, sending Bell flying back.

Mulkula winced from watching that.

Bell stood up shakily and charged yet again, Veronica again blocking his strike.

Veronica frowned in return. "You have two hands, use them both. Like this," she added before taking her unarmed left hand and swinging it at Bell, hitting him square in the chest. Had he not had his armor plate on, she may have broken several bones.

Mulkula frowned slightly as she watched. "Aren't ya bein' a little rough?"

"He can handle it," Veronica argued before Bell stood and charged once more. "You keep using the same tactic. Even the dumbest Monster will figure out a workaround if you do that," she chided before side-stepping his charge and smacking him on the back of the head. "See? Change things up."

"R – Right," he groaned before standing and charging at her, throwing a kick at her instead of his sword, which she still managed to catch.

"Better," Veronica commented as he swung his sword before using Bell's upraised leg to flip him up over his head.

He let out a loud grunt as he hit the ground, getting the wind knocked out of him.

"And don't just attack randomly, go for the weak points. Every living thing has a weak spot. Like the neck, heels, and wrists."

"R – Right…" he muttered as he stood, gasping slightly.

"Now attack," she urged as he lunged at her, only for her to smash her leg into his abdomen.

Bell groaned in pain as he stood up.

Mulkula blinked in thought. "Huh, he's getting' up faster. That's at least something."

Again Bell swung with a lung, yet again getting sent flying with Veronica's sword, only for the blonde to sigh in frustration. "Time to end this I suppose," she remarked as he dashed to the side and lunged, only to kick Bell's feet out from under him, flipping him onto his back in the air, and then slammed a fist down on his chest, smashing him into the ground, knocking him unconscious.

Mulkula cringed from the sound he made on impact. "Ouch…"

However, after a moment, Bell forced himself to his feet, Veronica seeing the same dull look in his eyes as previously before he kicked off from his spot and charged, Veronica raising her blade to block his strike, only for Bell to grab her sword arm, twist himself up around it as a focus point, and slam his shin against the side of her head.

"Whoa!" Mulkula gasped in shock as Veronica stumbled to the side.

Veronica hopped back slightly to regain her footing, a small smile on her lips. ' _Good. That's the Lux I used to spar with._ ' She immediately tossed the wooden sword away and grabbed her massive blade from nearby and readied herself for a fight.

Bell dug his heel into the dirt as he rushed at Veronica, who swung her sword at the silver-haired boy, only for him to duck under the massive blade before slamming his foot on the side as it reached the end of its arc, burying it in the dirt, and thrust his sword out.

Keeping a grip of her blade, Veronica twisted out of the way of his strike, right as Bell leapt off her sword, landed nearby, and spun his leg out to hit her leg, which she managed to dodge by lifting her leg, only for Bell to use his momentum to spin with the strike, slashing at the blonde's heel.

"Shit!" Mulkula cursed as she immediately looked to a large rock nearby.

Veronica cursed silently as she stumbled back. ' _I let my guard down._ '

Bell readied his sword to strike Veronica once more, only for a large object to strike him from the side, knocking him completely unconscious. Veronica blinked in surprise and turned to see Mulkula standing with a hand outstretched as she sighed.

"Way too close…" the brunette muttered as Veronica merely stared at the unconscious Bell. "You okay, Ver?"

"Yes," she answered plainly.

"Right…" Mulkula answered incredulously as she looked at the blonde's slowly bleeding ankle.

"It will heal," she remarked before making her way over to Bell with a slight limp before picking him up. "Now we should get him home."

"In your condition?" Mulkula chided.

"I will manage just fine."

Mulkula let out a frustrated sigh before furrowing her brow in thought. "… Hey um… where does he even live?"

Veronica stopped immediately as she took a step. "… That is a very good question. Let us head to the Guild."

"Right…" Mulkula just sighed.

* * *

Soon, Veronica and Mulkula walked into the Guild, Veronica carrying the unconscious Bell over her shoulder.

Noticing two figures approaching, Eina looked up with a professional smile. "Ah, welcome to the Gui – Bell!?" she suddenly shouted as she saw the boy. "Wh – What happened?!" she shouted as she ran from behind the counter to Veronica and the others.

"He exhausted himself during training," Veronica explained plainly.

Eina frowned in confusion before noticing Veronica's lightly bandaged foot. "Y – You're bleeding!"

"I am fine. Tell me, where does Bell live?"

Eina's confused frown deepened before she finally sighed in defeat. "What the hell is going on here…?" With another sigh, she answered, "A rundown church between Northwest and West Main."

"Right. Thank you for the information," Veronica replied before dropping a bag of coins in her hand. "Payment for the help."

"R – Right…"

* * *

Hestia hummed in thought as she sat in the small room of her and Bell's makeshift home. "What to make for dinner…?" She was brought from her thoughts when she heard a knock at the door atop the small set of stairs. ' _Why would Bell knock?_ ' she wondered as she opened it, and then saw Mulkula and Veronica standing outside the door. ' _HUGE!_ '

Veronica blinked and looked around in thought. "Huh. The door just opened."

Hestia clenched her fists as her twintails began flailing. "Nununu… down here!"

Veronica blinked in thought and then looked down, seeing Hestia. "Ah."

Hestia frowned angrily. "Who are you and what do you – Bell!" she began to ask before paling as she saw the unconscious Bell on Veronica's shoulder.

"He is fine, just sleeping."

"What'd you do to him!?"

"Nothing. He passed out while training."

"Oh… wait, you're Veronica!?"

"I am. Why?"

Hestia just stared at the blonde, her eyes locked on the massive globes hanging off her front, before slumping her shoulders in defeat, Mulkula snickering in amusement.

"Is something the matter?"

Mulkula interjected, "Why don't we just drop off the Little Rabbit before the pipsqueak blows a gasket?"

"I suppose."

Hestia just glared at the two women.

Veronica walked into the small room with a slight limp and put Bell on the bed.

Hestia blinked in confusion, then noticed the blood staining the bandages on Veronica's foot. "Wh – What the…?"

"Is something the matter?"

"You're bleeding…"

"Training accident," she answered plainly.

Hestia frowned uncertainly before Mulkula added, "Things got pretty heavy, you don't need to be worried though. Little Rabbit will be just fine."

Veronica then noticed a blanket and pillow folded up on the nearby sofa. "You lie on the cough, I take it?"

Hestia shook her head in denial. "No, Bell does."

"… What?"

* * *

 **And cut! That ends the first chapter! Be sure to leave a review letting me know if you enjoyed it. If you were confused, unsure, or have questions on anything, leave a review about that and I will address your concerns in the next chapter's reviewer responses. As for if you did not enjoy it, post a review with your grievances if you must, but do try to be cogent and civil about it. I do not really have anything else to add here, so until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

 **Hello all! I have returned with the next chapter of Worldly Adventurer! I hope everyone enjoyed the previous chapter; at least a few people did it seems. Be sure to leave a review if you enjoyed this one as well. I want to thank Bakuto Masaki for his help with the story so far. A lot of people asked, so I will explain. Mulkula is a pseudo-OC. She was a background character in episode three of DanMachi that Bakuto and I took a liking to, and ended up turning her into a full character. That said, nothing else pertinent to add, so on with the reviewer responses!**

 **freeforall546: He might be. Yes, and yes.**

 **Fortitude: Indeed it is.**

 **Does the sun rise in the morning?**

 **Skull Flame: I've actually toned _down_ her possessiveness somewhat from canon.**

 **A little.**

 **Yup.**

 **Yeah, it's a great series that sadly didn't get the popularity it deserves.**

 **SaintInfernalNeos: I focus on whichever stories pique my interest at the moment. So I may do multiple chapters of a certain story in a row, I may stay away from one story for a long period of time. This isn't a job, so I don't make myself do what I don't want to.**

 **Jose19: I know he was, but I make changes to things because this is after all _Fan_ Fiction. Meaning I'm not tied to canon, I can do whatever I damn well please. I just stick close to canon since I enjoy it.**

 **Blade1986: That she will.**

 **BloodWolf752: Guess there's only one way for you to find out.**

 **I've got my own plans for the Black Dragon, but those are neat ideas.**

 **Not a massive glut of reviews, but enough. So on with the show!**

* * *

Hestia stood in her small home with Veronica and Mulkula, the blonde looking down at her disapprovingly.

"… What?" Veronica asked angrily.

Hestia frowned in annoyance. "Bell sleeps on the sofa, I use the bed. He said he doesn't think it's right for us to share the bed." The girl puffed her cheeks with a dramatic pout. "Big dummy…"

Veronica stared in disbelief, Mulkula holding back a powerful laugh. "Wow…"

"What?" Hestia asked, looking at the two in confusion.

Folding her arms under her bust in confusion, Veronica questioned, "You are Hestia, his goddess, correct?"

"Y – Yes…" the petite goddess answered, uncertain where the conversation was headed.

"I see… meaning you're the one who put a curse on him…" the blonde remarked with a foul stare.

Hestia lurched back at the accusation and the glare. "I did nothing like that!"

"The Falna curse."

"C – Curse!?"

"Yes, curse."

"It's not! It's our Blessing to the humans!"

"It limits humanity."

"Huh?" she wondered, bewildered.

"Are you even aware how your supposed blessing works?"

"… N – Not really…"

"It makes it almost impossible for him to grow strong on his own."

Hestia's eyes shot wide. "H – Huh? But humans can't get as strong as the Falna makes them without it…"

"I have none, and I can promise you I far exceed the majority of Adventurers. However, if I had one of your Falnas, my strength would be limited. As your Curse prevents the different races from developing beyond the point the gods consider appropriate for each one."

"… Eh?"

Veronica sighed in annoyance. "I don't have the patience for this."

"Want me to explain it?" Mulkula offered.

"Please do. I'm going to treat my wound."

As Veronica stood up and walked away, Mulkula turned to Hestia with a sigh. "So, you put a Falna on the kid and don't even know how it works?"

"Uuhh…"

"Geez… well then I'll explain it to you in detail. The Falna is a system to 'power up' mortals that's bureaucratically designed by the gods. It can make the weak a little stronger, but it handicaps the already powerful, and even then, it limits what the weaker ones can achieve. For example, Elves. Their magic skills can be made extremely powerful, and they can even train their speed. But they can spend every day and night training their bodies, and the Falna won't let their physical strength develop past a certain point. Meaning they aren't strong physically when I've seen Elven Warriors capable of wielding claymores and warhammers."

Hestia frowned somewhat in uncertainty.

"As for humans, it limits their magical capabilities to what the gods consider appropriate to humans. Which is bullshit since I've seen humans capable of taking out entire armies with a single spell."

Hestia's frown deepened in worry.

"And beyond that, the individual's own skills and abilities don't come into it. The Falna dictates how strong they can get, regardless of what they're naturally capable of, and puts a hard cap on their abilities. Only ones that 'benefit' from it are untrained civies who haven't trained or studied at all and the Bloody Val."

Hestia's frown turned to confusion. "Huh? Bloody Val? Who's that?"

Mulkula's jaw went slack in disbelief. "… Seriously? You've never met her?"

"Never heard that name before."

"She's the woman in charge of Orario."

"Oh… never met her."

"… Lucky."

"Huh?"

"Forget it. Anyway, another big drawback is that a mortal's abilities only get stronger when the deity updates their Falna. They can train for weeks, but if their deity doesn't update that tattoo, they won't be any stronger than when they started."

Hestia frowned again, worry filling her head.

"Meaning if the Little Rabbit is ever separated from you for a long period of time, he may as well sit on his ass and do nothing for all the good it'll do him."

Hestia winced before lowering her gaze in shame. "… I see…"

"Plus it means that mortals are at the whims of their deities. Should they piss off their deity, the god can just refuse to update their Status and leave them weak. And I bet a good number of them abuse the hell out of that fact."

Hestia winced before steeling her gaze. "I – I would –!"

"Never do that?" Mulkula interrupted. "How can you be so sure? Maybe even one day you'll deny him it if he doesn't do as you say?"

Hestia slammed her hands down angrily. "I would never do that! I love Bell!" Hestia's face immediately went red as a fire and she slapped her hands over her mouth.

Mulkula gained a wide smirk of amusement. "Oh? Then maybe you'll hold it hostage until he pleasures you."

Hestia's face went glowing red as steam shot from her ears.

Veronica, annoyed, looked around several shelves. "Little Goddess, where are your bandages?" She opened a nearby closet, causing a long, old, rusted sword, that had, clearly, at one point shone brilliant black and silver, to fall to the floor. Her eyes widened before a frown formed on her lips as she gently picked up the weapon.

Hestia looked at the sword in thought. "Oh. That's where it was."

Veronica frowned before looking at Hestia. "Are you aware of what this is?"

Hestia just shrugged. "Bell said it's just some old weapon his aunt gave him. He can't even pull it out of the sheathe."

Veronica's frown deepened somewhat as she looked at the blade. "Because she's broken… just like him…"

The petite goddess tilted her head in bewilderment. "… Hah?"

"Nothing. I'm going to take this to get it repaired."

"Where?" Mulkula wondered.

"I know of a blacksmith in this city who specializes in Sword Devices."

Hestia looked at her, further confused. "Sword what?"

"None of your concern."

Hestia puffed her cheeks and lunged at Veronica, attempting to take the weapon from her. "You can't just come in here and take something of Bell's without telling me why!"

"Do you even know who he is? Or what this is?"

"He's Bell! My Bell! My first Familia member! And I don't know what that is but it's his!"

Veronica narrowed her eyes to the goddess. "He is a person, not property. And if he's to survive his enemies with that Curse on his back, he is going to need this partner repaired."

Hestia just stared at her angrily.

"Or, do _you_ have the necessary funds to get it repaired and working?"

"No…"

"The power to keep a nation from enslaving him?"

"Huh? Why would anyone do that?"

"And thus you show how little you know of him."

"What do you mean? Answer me! Bell never said anything about enslaving!"

"Even if he did remember, he wouldn't tell you. That's just who he is. Always trying to keep others away from his personal problems and never letting those that he cares for worry over him when he's going to do something dangerous."

Hestia's eyes widened at her answer.

Seeing this, Veronica retorted, "Fairly accurate, no?"

Hestia's mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to think of how to respond, before finally going for broke. "Tell me everything you know. Please."

Veronica folded her arms defiantly. "And why should I?"

Hestia stiffened before tightening her tiny fists and sighing in defeat. "… If you'll tell me… I'll agree to you training Bell however you think best."

Veronica stared at the tiny goddess in silent thought for several moments, studying her, before sighing and looking at her dark-skinned partner. "… Very well. Mulkula, ensure Bell stays asleep. Knowing him, if he listened to this he would not take it well."

Mulkula nodded before walking over to the sleeping boy.

Veronica turned her attention back to Hestia, who was now sat directly in front of her, every ounce of her attention focused on the blonde. Nodding appreciatively, Veronica spoke, "I suppose I should start simply. His name is not Bell Cranel."

* * *

Bell groaned as he woke up slowly before sitting, noticing his body felt heavier than usual. "What happened…?"

"You got knocked the fuck out," Mulkula remarked snidely as she sat in a chair next to the bed.

"… Ah… my body feels so heavy… and sore…"

"That will happen with severe training," Veronica imparted.

"… Ah…" After a moment, he then noticed the bandages on Veronica's ankle, tinted red with dried blood. "Wh – What happened!?"

"Training accident," she answered swiftly and bluntly.

"Right…" After a moment, he looked around the somewhat cramped quarters in confusion. "… Where's the Goddess?"

"She had an errand to run."

"A – Ah…"

"Wanted to see her naked huh?" Mulkula teased, causing Bell's face to turn as bright red as his eyes.

"Wh – What!? NO!"

"Really?" the woman asked with a hint of disappointment.

"YES! How did you even come to that conclusion?!"

Mulkula just smirked. "Not tellin'."

Bell just stared at her in a mixture of disbelief and annoyance before Veronica changed the subject.

"For the next few days, you need to stay out of the Dungeon."

"Huh? What for?"

"I am going to be training you."

"What about money…?" he asked with worry.

Veronica waved a hand. "I will be sure you get paid, do not worry."

"Right…"

"Good."

* * *

Shortly later, Bell decided to walk around the city to get some air, looking around curiously. "Now what do I do…? Hm…" After a moment, he looked down and shifted his armor as he wore it. "Was my armor always this heavy? I guess I'm just tired… Maybe I should just relax then…" He was brought from his thoughts when a group of people gathered with excitement. Going over to the growing crowd, he heard two men talking.

"Hey, they're finally back from the expedition," the first man, a man wearing a plain set of clothes, noted.

The man next to him, a man with bear-like ears wearing simple armor, folded his arms in irritation. "Tch, damn jerks, think they're all super and shit."

"Because they are, stupid. Don't you even know who they are? That blonde in the middle," he remarked, stopping and pointing to the group of people walking out of the Dungeon tower, just behind the front of the group was a young woman with long, silky, bright, golden blonde hair, golden amber eyes, and porcelain white skin wearing a simple white and blue dress with bright silver armor overtop, tightly hugging her modest curves, "she's Aiz Wallenstein, the Sword Princess."

The tall man smacked the other with a grunt. "Shut it, jackass. I know who the Sword Princess is. I just think the rumors are exaggerated."

Bell stared at the group in amazement. "Wow… who are they…?"

"Just another of the Familias in this city," Veronica remarked, standing directly behind Bell, causing the boy to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Gah! Don't do that!"

"Do what?" she asked, perplexed.

Bell just stared at her before sighing. "So, why are you here?"

"I saw this crowd and was wondering if any of them would make good Hunters."

"Oh…"

"I'm not seeing many candidates."

As she spoke, Bell's eyes were glued to Aiz, who seemed to noticed him and glanced to the side as she walked.

Veronica put a hand firmly on his shoulder. "Do not be deceived by what others say of these Adventurers. Their skills and abilities are nowhere near what they could be on their own. Even the blonde."

Aiz stopped for a moment and watched curiously as Bell and Veronica left.

"Oy, Aiz! Yer gunna get left behind!" crassly shouted a white-haired man with dog ears.

* * *

"I wonder if I'll ever be that strong…" Bell commented to no one as he walked next to Veronica.

"No," she responded bluntly, causing him to wince. "You will be stronger."

Bell frowned uncertainly. "How can you be so sure of that…?"

"Because I will make you that strong."

"Right… So… um, when are you going to get that Adamantium?"

Veronica instantly froze where she stood.

Seeing this, Bell looked at her, confused. "Miss Veronica?"

"W – We need to get going," she remarked with an unexpected stutter as she began to sweat.

"Okay…?"

* * *

Bell sighed heavily as he was fully geared up, walking with Mulkula and Veronica. "I feel so heavy and sluggish… I don't know if I can go in the Dungeon like this."

"Do not worry. I am hiring a Supporter."

"R – Really?"

"Yes. Because we are focusing on training, we will only be going into the Dungeon today, so we need to not waste time collecting Drop Items and Magic Stones."

"Right," he answered with a nod.

"Now, let us find a suitable Supporter."

"Right!"

Soon, the group stood in front of the large tower, in a large area where Adventurers of all stripes went in all directions, dozens of people of varying races, ages, and more carrying large packs propositioned their services.

Bell looked around in surprise. "Huh… so is this where we'll find one…?"

"Yep!" Mulkula chirped.

Veronica scanned the area critically. "Hm… there are quite a few here."

Bell's eyes were immediately drawn to a tall, muscular man with a long tail and wolf-like ears carrying a large pack. "Whoa… that Werewolf over there looks like he can carry a lot."

Veronica immediately brushed off the suggestion. "No, he is a first-time Supporter, he does not even have a proper pack."

"Oh… what about that Dwarf over there?" he asked, pointing a short, stout man with huge muscles and an even bigger bag.

Again Veronica shot him down. "He is strong, yes, but look at his pack. It is full of holes, and you can tell by his clothing he does not know how to properly be a Supporter. He is a clear example of someone who is a Supporter not because they are skilled at it, but because they lack skill in combat."

Bell frowned before Mulkula suddenly cooed. "Oooohh, perfect!" she shouted, pointing ahead.

The boy turned ahead and saw a short, petite, young girl with short, chestnut brown hair wearing a ragged, overly large robe that covered almost her entire body, with an absolutely gigantic pack slung over her small shoulders. Bell frowned in mild curiosity. "That Hobbit?"

Without warning or explanation, Veronica suddenly struck Bell across the head forcefully.

"Gah!" he shouted before stumbling back.

"You are never to say that word again, understood?"

Rubbing his head in discomfort, he asked, "I – Is it bad…?"

"Very," Mulkula retorted.

"They are called Prums, not that slur," Veronica corrected.

Bell nodded in return. "Right, I won't. I didn't even know it was a bad thing to do."

Veronica looked at him in confusion. "… Did the one who raised you teach you nothing?"

Bell shivered before answering, "She taught me some things… like that she should never cook."

"I see…"

Pointing to the Prum girl, Mulkula urged, "Hey Little Rabbit, why not go over and get her attention?"

"M – Me?!" Bell asked in shock.

"Yep!"

"Wh – Why…?"

"You're the least threatening in appearance amongst us," Veronica explained bluntly.

Bell felt his entire body sinking before carrying himself over the girl slowly. "Fine…"

Veronica raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Is it something I said?" she wondered, Mulkula just snickering.

"Um, excuse me!" Bell called out as he approached the girl.

The Prum stiffened before turning to him, putting on a bright, wide smile. "Y – Yes? What does Mr. Adventurer want with Lilly?"

Bell raised an eyebrow at her way of speaking but decided to just go with it. "… W – Well my party and I are looking for a decent Supporter, Ms. Lilly."

Looking him over in thought, Lilly gave a momentary pout before her smile instantly returned. "Oh, then Mr. Adventurer doesn't want Lilly."

"Why? You look like the best one here, and my name is Bell. Bell Cranel. Not Mr."

Lilly raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Okay, Mr. Cranel."

Bell frowned in mild frustration. "… Just Bell or just Cranel is fine…"

Lilly shook her head fervently. "Oh no, no, Lilly can't do that. Lilly is just a mere Supporter."

Bell's frown deepened slightly. "Yes you can. Supporters have an important job after all."

Lilly looked at him in a hint of surprise. ' _Is he…?_ '

"So, will you help us?"

"Oh, right. Who are the others?" she asked before Bell pointed to Veronica and Mulkula nearby.

"My two party members and me."

Lilly gave a small hiss, though Bell seemed not to notice. ' _… Crap, Hunters… not what I need…_ '

"You okay, Miss Lilly?" Bell questioned, noticing a change in her expression.

Lilly instantly turned her smile back on and faced him. "N – No, Lilly's just fine!"

"If you're sure…"

"A – Anyway, Lilly thinks Mr. Bell's party is big enough. Lilly would just get in the way."

"Not at all. You'll be a big help. And it's Bell. Not Mr."

Lilly frowned in subtle frustration before Veronica and Mulkula approached, Veronica explaining, "We are offering an even split of our profits, twenty-five percent to each of us."

"Lilly sees…" the girl noted in further confusion. ' _Is this a trap…?_ '

Mulkula smirked and asked, "So, what do ya say? If you're worried about a monster getting the jump on ya, don't be. Ver and I can take on anything the Dungeon can throw at us."

Lilly remained silent in thought. ' _If it's a trap… I could die… If they're being genuine, then Hunters could provide some major earnings from the Dungeon… I guess it's worth a shot._ ' "Okay, if you'll have Lilly."

Mulkula grinned excitedly. "That's the spirit girl! We'll get those Adamantium Ore Chunks yet!"

Lilly paled at her words. ' _They're going after Adamantium!?_ '

"Now let's get going!" Mulkula cheered, grabbing Lilly by the arm.

' _I'm going to die!_ '

* * *

Shortly inside the Dungeon, Bell frowned curiously as he followed behind Veronica and Mulkula, the two effortlessly swatting away any Monsters that crop up. "Um… how far down are we going…?"

"Floor Sixty," Veronica answered plainly as she caved in a Kobold's head with a single punch.

"EH!?" Bell and Lilly hollered in disbelief.

"Is something the matter?"

"I – I've never even been to Floor Two!" Bell exclaimed, causing Lilly to look at him in shock, realizing how deep over her head she may just be.

"Then I suppose this will be your first time."

' _Are they trying to kill us!?_ ' Lilly shouted in her mind.

"Now, let us continue."

* * *

Some time later, Bell followed behind Veronica and Mulkula, attempting to keep his composure, though he sweated profusely in fear, Lilly beside him looking around with her head on a swivel.

"U – Um… are you sure it was a good idea for me to come with you…?" Bell asked timidly.

"Yes," Veronica answered firmly.

"Right…"

Lilly frowned curiously as she followed them. "… Wh – What do you need the adamantium for…?"

"My elder sister asked me obtain a large amount for her."

Lilly looked at her in thought. "Big sister?"

"Yeah…" Mulkula muttered. "… The Bloody Val…"

Lilly gaped in shock.

"Yeah…"

Bell shivered in fear. "She's terrifying… And she seemed so nice…"

Lilly began to pale in fear.

"You have no idea…" Veronica remarked quietly.

' _… I'm going to die…_ '

* * *

Later on, the group made their way down a lower floor where Bell saw Orcs approaching, large, rotund, green-skinned, humanoid monstrosities.

"Urgh, so ugly…" Mulkula groaned as two of the beasts charged.

Veronica stepped forward without a thought. "They aren't difficult to deal with, they are just another obstacle. Now then…" she noted before easily swatting one aside with her fist, causing Lilly to gape in shock.

The second Orc stopped and ripped a tree out of the ground and charged at Veronica, only for her to grab the makeshift weapon and swing it, and the Orc, over her head and slam them against the ground, killing the beast.

Behind her, acting as the tail-end of the group behind Lilly and Bell, Mulkula lazily swung her massive hammer with one hand as several Orcs charged, only to get smashed by the swinging weapon.

' _Are they even human!?_ ' Lilly exclaimed in disbelief.

Veronica noticed Bell and Lilly's expressions of shock, curiously. "Is something the matter?"

"N – Nothing…" Bell stuttered.

"I see," she noted, unconvinced, before watching as Lilly approached one of the corpses. "Lilly, no collecting the stones. You will need all the space you can get for the Adamantium."

She just looked at the blonde in bewilderment. "… Right… Just how much do you plan to get…?"

"Enough for three warships."

"EH!?"

"Loud," Mulkula grumbled.

Lilly stared in disbelief. ' _They_ are _crazy!_ '

After a moment of confusion, Bell questioned, "What does the ore look like…?"

"You don't know?" Mulkula retorted.

"No…" Bell answered with an unsure shake of his head.

"It is almost completely black with a green hue," Veronica explained as they walked.

"Ah, okay."

Without another word, Veronica backhanded a charging Orc, breaking its neck and killing it.

* * *

Sometime later, the group wandered around a large cavern, Veronica looking around in confusion. "Hm…"

Bell frowned in thought as he watched.

"That hole I made should be here somewhere…"

Raising an eyebrow, Mulkula offered, "Didn't that book say the Dungeon can repair itself?"

"If it is smart it will not, as I will just make a new one." Looking around some more, Veronica growled angrily before pulling out her large sword. "So be it," she snapped before slamming the sword down with immense force, blasting a hole in the floor that seemed to go on endlessly.

Lilly of course just gaped in disbelief.

"There, now we can get to the lower Floors faster."

Bell gulped in worry as Veronica and Mulkula cleared some of the rubble before Veronica knelt down and looked at their Prum companion.

"Lilly, get on my back."

"H – Huh?" the tiny girl stuttered.

"So you don't get hurt when we jump down."

Lilly frowned uncertainly but did as she was told.

Mulkula, meanwhile, grinned in amusement and grabbed Bell. "Guess that means I'll grab the Rabbit."

"H – Hu – whoa!" Bell shrieked as Mulkula pulled him close, sandwiching his head in her cleavage.

Veronica merely stared at her partner with a frown, Mulkula sticking her tongue out with a defiant smirk.

Lilly just stared in disbelief. ' _… Are all Hunters like this…?_ ' she wondered as Mulkula and Veronica leapt down the cavernous pit.

* * *

"We are here," Veronica announced after she and Mulkula made their way through dozens more Floors, smashing holes as needed on the way down.

"Aw… so cute…" Mulkula cooed, causing Veronica to turn and see Bell asleep as Mulkula held him.

Lilly's jaw almost hit the floor. ' _How the hell did he sleep through all that!?_ '

Veronica twitched an eyebrow and pulled Bell away from the dark-skinned woman, tapping him on the head firmly. "Bell, wake up."

Bell flinched slightly before yawning. "H – Huh…? D – Did I… fall asleep…?"

"Yes, you did," she answered bluntly.

"O – Oh…" he stammered with embarrassment as he stretched.

"We are here, now we just need to find an ore vein."

"Right…" Bell remarked as he looked around, before noticing the shocked and concerned expression on Lilly's face. "Lilly?"

"Y – Yes?" she stuttered, pulling herself from her thoughts.

"You alright?"

"Yes," she replied firmly.

"Okay…"

"Stay between us," Veronica noted as she and Mulkula took up their standard formation, "the Monsters here are stronger than the upper Floors, but they will not be a problem."

"Yeah, they ain't anything compared to Beasts," Mulkula remarked cockily.

Bell looked at his surroundings in thought, a massive, endlessly vast jungle surrounding them. "Um… I thought we were diving into the Dungeon."

"We did and we are," Veronica replied bluntly.

"Then how come we're in a jungle…?"

"The Dungeon has numerous biomes within itself, each group of Floors being different than the rest."

"O – Oh…"

"And so we're on this Floor to collect the Adamantine Ore that is produced only here."

"Indeed," Veronica added.

"Right…" Bell remarked as he looked around before seeing a massive tree at the center of the area, frowning slightly as he felt like eyes were looking at him from within. He frowned in concern as he stared before Veronica's voice got his attention.

"Bell, come, or you will be left behind."

Seeing the others ahead of him, he rushed ahead. "W – Wait for me…!"

* * *

"This stuff sure is hard to find…" Bell remarked as he followed with the others.

"Hm…" Veronica hummed as she looked around, absent-mindedly smacking a humanoid reptile in the head, hard enough to kill it, before frowning. "The last deposit we found should have been right around here, but it is not."

Mulkula sighed and interjected, "Like I said, the Dungeon isn't static, it changes a lot."

Veronica furrowed her brow in irritation. "… Then I will just have to teach it why that is a bad idea."

Mulkula sighed with a shrug and a chuckle, "I guess if anyone could, it'd be you," Lilly behind her, staring in shock.

"Fine, so let us search for more."

Bell nodded before proceeding to follow her.

* * *

Several hours passed as they looked around, though Bell felt a shiver go down his spine as they walked.

"What's wrong, Little Rabbit?" Mulkula asked, noticing his quivers.

"I keep getting the feeling that something's watching me…"

The brunette raised an eyebrow before looking around and then shrugged. "Well this place is filled with kinds of creepy crawlies, so there's probably something watchin' you."

"Great…" he lamented.

Mulkula just grinned as she patted him on the back firmly. "They're just bugs, so don't think too much on it."

"… Right…"

"Let's go. There should be some this way," Veronica urged.

The group all followed her though Bell, curious, questioned, "How can you tell?"

"Simple. The Dragonkins shape their weapons out of them, so the more of their tracks we find the closer we are to a vein."

"Oh…" he remarked before stiffening in realization. "Wait… won't that mean –?" his question went unfinished as they rounded a corner and saw a large group of the humanoid dragons that quickly turned and saw them.

"Ah crap," Lilly grumbled, hiding behind Bell.

"Good," Veronica noted, drawing her massive sword, "now to kill them."

One of the Dragonkin growled before charging, an ax made of adamantine raised high.

Veronica deftly swung her sword forwards and up, carving off the beast's arm before catching the ax as it fell with her left hand and swung it forward, slamming it into the monster's abdomen and chucking it forward, causing it to crash into a second, charging, Dragonkin, knocking both to the ground.

Giving them no time to regroup, she ran up to them and swung her sword down, cleaving both of them in half and killing them, before pulling the ax out of the first Dragonkin's corpse and hurling it to the side, decapitating a third.

Another Dragonkin charged at Mulkula, only to be flattened as she lazily swung her hammer. "Bored now."

Bell watched in amazement as the two fought before he felt a hand grab his shoulder, causing him to pale before it yanked him into the shrubbery. He winced as he hit the ground and looked up to see two figures standing over him.

The first was a young, blonde, dark-skinned elf with mismatched blue and green eyes, wearing a white and blue uniform with a pleated skirt.

The second was another, very similar looking Dark Elf with messy blonde hair and reversed green and blue eyes, wearing a matching suit with trousers instead of a skirt.

"Uh…" he muttered before the red-clad elf put a finger over his lips.

"Quiet or they'll hear us."

Bell's eyes went wide as he went to shout before she slapped at his neck, stopping him from making a sound.

"That's not very nice, human," she remarked as Bell coughed weakly. "Now, if you'll just be a good boy, we won't hurt you."

"… Wh – What do you want…?"

"It's very simple actually. It's pretty rare for humans to come down this far, so we want to know why."

"… Wh – Who are you?"

"Oh, right," the messy-haired elf sighed as she stood up. "I forgot most of them don't know us. I'm Aura Bella Fiora."

"I – I'm Mare Bello Fiore," the blue-clad elf added.

"Ah," Bell commented blandly as he stared at the two.

Aura pouted in frustration. "Well? No shouts, no screams, no awes?"

"… Am I supposed to?"

Aura sighed before folding her arms. "Okay, I'll make it simple. My sibling and I are the guardians of this Floor. In short, we're what you people call Monsters."

Bell just stared at them in thought. "… Riigghht…"

Aura twitched an eyebrow. "What's wrong, don't believe me?"

"No, two girls as cute as you couldn't be Monsters."

Aura just stared at him in disbelief as Mare, blushing commented quietly, "H – He called us cute…"

"What?" Bell asked.

Aura frowned in further confusion. "… You're a really weird human, calling Monsters cute."

"… You're really sticking with that bit huh?" Bell asked before he noticed a Dragonkin running up to them.

Bell attempted to get in front of the Monster, but Aura raised a hand, stopping him.

The reptilian creature stopped just in front of Aura and began growling strangely at her.

Aura just nodded. "Yes, I know they're winning."

Again it growled.

"What do you want me to do about it?" It just growled more. Sighing, Aura turned to Bell. "Human, what are you doing here?"

"H – Huh?" he stammered.

"You and your Party, why are you down this far in the Dungeon?"

"O – Oh, we're, um… here for the Adamantine."

Aura nodded before turning to the Dragonkin. "Just have everyone withdraw, it'll be easier to let them take a bit of Adamantium than it would be to try and stop them."

The Monster nodded before rushing off.

"There, now your group can have some Adamantine and we won't lose anymore troops."

Bell gulped deeply before slowly turning back to the girls.

"What?"

"… Y – You… really are…"

"Told ya."

"But you look like normal Dark Elves…"

"Well, we aren't. Now, maybe we can get to the point since we're all on the same page."

"… You're not going to eat me, are you?"

"No," she replied bluntly.

"Then what do you want with me…?"

"Well you told us why you're down here already, so I want to know, why are three humans without those Curse things and a Prum with one down here?"

Bell blinked curiously as he looked at Aura. "Three?"

"Yup. The Amazon, the blonde, and you."

"… You're wrong. I have a Falna."

"Nope. Ya don't."

"No, I do."

"If you did I'd be able to sense it on you. I do on the Prum, not on you."

"… What?" he asked bluntly before his attention was taken by Veronica's voice.

"Bell! Where are you?"

"Uh…"

Aura just waved him off. "It's fine, I've gotten enough info for now."

"Right…" Bell remarked before getting away from the two, Veronica and the others turning as he returned.

"That scared, huh?" Mulkula teased as he rejoined them.

Bell shook his head in response. "No, something grabbed me."

"Well obviously ya beat it since you're still standing."

"No, they let me go."

"They?" Veronica questioned.

"Yeah, they looked like Dark Elves."

Veronica frowned in thought before Mulkula asked, "Think it was them?"

"Was who?"

"Have you ever heard the term Monster Rex?" Veronica asked.

Bell nodded in response. "Yeah, they're basically super powered Monsters."

"The Monster Rex of this floor is two young-looking Dark Elves," she explained, causing Bell's face to go as white as his hair.

"I see… I had no idea Monsters could talk…"

"Never assume anything. Now, everyone, gather as much Adamantine ore as you can carry."

"Right…"

The others nodded and proceeded to pull chunks of black metal out of the ground.

* * *

Bell sighed as he walked with the others, his pockets and back pouch bulging with rocks and pebbles of Adamantine, though his attention was instead on Lilly, whose backpack was now almost three times its original size, completely filled with rocks.

"Think this'll be enough?" Mulkula asked.

"I can only hope…" Veronica commented as they continued.

Bell frowned in concern at the tiny girl. "Lilly, are you sure you can carry all that?"

Lilly turned with a nod. "Yup! As a Supporter, I have an Ability that makes me able to carry extremely heavy loads."

"That's so useful…" Bell remarked in awe.

Lilly looked at him in surprise. "Really…?"

"Yes, very."

"I see…" the Prum responded, suspicion narrowly disguised on her small features.

"Something wrong, Lilly?"

"N – No."

"Let us return to the surface," Veronica interjected, "and get this to my sister."

"Right," Bell returned.

After walking for a few minutes, Lilly asked, "How will Ms. Adventurer know to get to the surface if we leapt down the whole way?"

"I am not an Adventurer so please stop acting like I am one, Lilly," Veronica retorted.

"… Then I repeat my question, Ms. Hunter."

"Simple. We grab something that can take us up."

"… What does Ms. Hunter mean by that…?"

"We grab a big Wyvern Monster."

Bell and Lilly both stared at her in disbelief.

* * *

"This was a bad idea!" Bell hollered as he shakily held on to the wing of a large, winged, reptilian Monster.

"How so?" Veronica asked, perfectly calm as she sat on the creature's long neck.

"If this thing flies any more erratically, I'm going to lose my pack!" Lilly hollered.

"… You had better hold onto it more tightly then."

Gulping, Lilly readjusted her pack to secure it.

* * *

"Land…" Lilly groaned as she slumped to her knees.

"I think I'm gonna be sick…" Bell muttered as he sat against a pillar.

"Really?" Mulkula asked in surprise.

"You will become accustomed to it," Veronica urged, though Bell just looked at her in disbelief. "Now, let us return to the Guild and give this to my sister."

* * *

"Oh? You have it?" Cassandra asked with subdued surprise as Bell and the others stood in her office atop the Guild building.

"Yes," Veronica responded with a nod before turning to Lilly, who swiftly emptied her sack of the massive amount of ore within.

Cassandra grinned with excitement at the sight. "Good work, Veronica, you actually managed to do it right this time, and much faster than originally." An eerily sweet smile then crept onto her features. "I bet someone had to bring it to your attention that you had to do it, too."

Veronica just stood silently still.

"Thought as much. Well, you got it done at least, and thanks to your Prum Supporter. Which Familia are you with?"

Lilly, maintaining her usual smile, waved a hand dismissively. "Lilly doesn't think it matters."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes tightly as she stared at the tiny girl. "As the leader of the Guild, it matters, so tell me."

Lilly winced before gulping. "… Lilly is… Lilly is with the Soma Familia."

Cassandra's annoyed frown turned to one of sorrow. "Oh… You poor thing…" Lilly just stared at her quietly. "Is that useless distiller still mismanaging his workers for his alcohol?"

"P – Pardon?" the chestnut-haired girl stuttered, causing Cassandra to sigh with irritation. Deciding to not avoid the question further, Lilly merely replied, "L – Lilly can't say much about Lord Soma."

"Because he, or the rest, threatens you?" she shot back pointedly, causing the Prum to wince.

Bell looked at the scene in confusion. "Um, what are you talking about?"

"A poor excuse for an employer."

"I see…?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Right…"

* * *

Outside Cassandra's office, Veronica held a large bag of hundreds of golden coins and dumped them onto a large table before dividing them into four piles, sliding one pile to Bell and the other to Lilly. "Here you both go."

Lilly stared in awe as Bell muttered, "Whoa… That's a lot…" ' _And definitely enough for… Yes!_ ' "Thanks Veronica!" he offered before scooping his pile into his satchel and running out of the room.

Veronica just stared in slight confusion as he vanished down the stairs.

"He took off fast," Mulkula noted.

"Indeed…" Lilly remarked in surprise.

* * *

"Where is it…? Should be here…" Bell mumbled in slight frustration before he saw what he was looking for, a certain fabric store. "Ah! There!" Running in, he saw the pair of blue ribbons with bells hanging from them still on one of the mannequins. "Oh good, they're still here…" he sighed in relief as he grabbed them.

* * *

Inside the small church, Hestia sighed as she flopped onto the sofa. "What a day… How do I tell Bell…? … Maybe I shouldn't…" She was pried from her thoughts when she heard a knock on the rickety door. "Coming!" she exclaimed before running over and seeing a well-dressed man with long black hair in the doorway. "Miach?"

The man nodded with a warm smile. "Hestia, are you doing well?"

"… Kinda," she answered slowly.

"Oh? What's wrong?"

The girl heaved a heavy sigh. "A lot."

"Care to share your troubles?" Miach asked as he stretched out a hand.

"It's about Bell."

"Actually, that's what I came to talk about as well."

"Huh?"

"Have you filled out all the registration paperwork?"

Hestia stared silently as a blank expression fell over her face. "… The what now?"

Miach just smiled weakly. "I'll take that as a no. How about I take you to the Guild building to get all that filled out while we talk?"

"Sure…"

* * *

"So… all that in just a few days…?" Miach asked in surprise as he walked with Hestia.

"Yeah…" the petite goddess replied with a sigh as she worked on several documents in front of her.

"That's quite a lot, I'll agree. Oh, your signature needs to go here, not there."

"Oh, sorry. So… do you know anything about Hunters?"

"Hunters? I know a little. They're mortals who have rejected the use of the Falna and make themselves strong on their own. While they may end up stronger than most Adventurers, they can never reach the heights Adventurers can."

"Are you sure…?"

"Yes. I have never met a Hunter with abilities that match the greatest Adventurers."

Hestia stared in silent disbelief, though Miach quickly realized she was looking past him.

"Hestia?" Turning his head, he watched as Bell spoke with Eina. "You okay?" he asked, watching further as Bell showed a small box to Eina, causing the elf to gasp in surprise.

Hestia just stared in silence.

Miach looked between the scene unfolding before them and Hestia several times before putting the pieces together.

"It's done," Hestia responded coldly as she slammed the papers down.

"H – Hestia! Wait!" Miach pleaded as Hestia turned around and left faster than he could stop her.

"Huh?" Bell turned to the shout and watched as Hestia stormed out of the Guild. "Goddess?"

"Oy, I think she might've just misread something," Mulkula explained as she walked up to him and patted him on the back. "You should go get her before things get worse."

"Okay…?" Bell responded in confusion before pushing it out of his head and chasing after Hestia, seeing her stomping away swiftly.

As she walked, rubbed her eyes vigorously, stopping when she heard a familiar voice call out.

"Goddess!"

Hestia tried to pretend she was ignoring him, though Bell did not notice or did not care.

"Are you okay?"

"… As if you care…" she responded with a pout, looking at him over her shoulder.

"But I do."

She narrowed her eyes silently.

"Goddess…?"

"… I saw…" she said somberly.

"Saw? Saw what?"

"You gave that gift to that girl…"

Bell raised an eyebrow in confusion before pulling a small box out of his pouch, causing Hestia to wince before looking as he opened it. "You mean these…?"

"… Those are…"

"The ribbons you wanted. I… I just wasn't sure so I asked Miss Eina if she thought you'd like them and when I should give them to you."

"O – Oh…" she muttered, feeling a sense of guilt flow over her.

"And I was thinking of giving them to you later as a surprise during dinner…" With a bright smile, he handed the box to Hestia. "Well, since you already saw them, here."

Hestia looked at them in awe before lowering her gaze. "… No."

"Eh?"

"I don't deserve them…"

"Why? I got them for you, Goddess."

"I know… and yet I immediately assumed they were for someone else without even thinking…"

Bell blinked a couple times in thought before coming up empty. "Who?"

"I thought you were giving a present to that elf girl…"

The boy tilted his head in further confusion. "Eh? Miss Eina? Why would I do that? She doesn't even have long enough hair for these."

Hestia just stared in silent disbelief.

"Goddess?"

Sighing as she wiped a tear from her eye, she smiled as she took the box. "Thank you… and I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

Hestia just shook her head in response. "Don't worry about it," she eased before walking up to him and wrapping her arms around one of his, causing his face to burn bright red.

"G – Goddess?"

"Let's go home, Bell."

"R – Right…"

* * *

Hestia looked at herself in their home's admittedly dingy mirror, smiling as the bell-adorned ribbons rang from her hair. "Oh I love it, Bell!"

"I'm so glad," Bell responded, happy from her smile.

After a moment, Hestia blinked in thought before turning to him curiously. "Wait… all that time you spent palling around with Monster Boobs… was it to save money?"

Bell nodded in return. "Yeah, I was never going to earn enough on my own. Especially in the dungeon. So… I went to Veronica for help Beast Hunting."

Hestia's eyes went wide with shock. "… You did… all that… for me?"

Bell nodded with a big smile. "Yes. You deserved this after all."

Hestia's expression went wider in shock before she slumped where she stood with a frown.

"… Goddess?"

"No… I don't," she answered somberly.

"Huh?"

"I thought… I assumed bad things… terrible things… about what was going on…"

Bell just smiled before adding, "I guess that means you're just somewhat imperfect."

"Huh?"

"Aunt Palu said that it's better to accept your imperfections than to think you're perfect. She also said that those who think they _are_ perfect aren't, and make constant mistakes."

"I see…"

"Yep!"

Hestia sighed heavily with a smile before nodding. "Right."

* * *

The next morning, Bell gathered up his things and prepared to head out of the church, running into Veronica as he did. "Veronica?"

"Good, you're already prepared."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "… More training?"

"Yes," she replied before taking note that he held the same sword she had given him before. "Where is your other sword?"

Bell just tilted his head in confusion. "Other sword?"

Veronica narrowed her eyes before groaning. "… Mulkula, take him to where we usually train, I need to speak with the goddess."

"Right. Let's go Little Rabbit!" the Amazon cheered before dragging Bell away.

"H – Hey!" he shouted, unable to break her grip.

Meanwhile, Veronica went into the church's back room, very unhappy. "Hestia!"

"Kya!" the goddess shrieked in surprise as Veronica stormed in.

"Where is it!?"

Hestia remained silent for a moment, confused and surprise, before finally catching on to what Veronica was talking about, slumping her shoulders. "… She refused."

"… What?"

"I asked Hephaestus to fix the sword and she said no…"

Twitching an eyebrow, Veronica questioned, "Did she say why?"

Hestia's shoulders slumped further. "… Because I've asked her for too many favors since coming to Gekai…"

"Then _I'll_ ask her after I finish Bell's training today."

"Right…"

* * *

"So how come you're still training me?" Bell asked as he stood in a field with Veronica and Mulkula. "I thought it was only until you got that ore."

"I never said that at all," Veronica retorted. "The ore is just something you reminded me that I needed to get."

"Oh…"

"Now, do your training routine first, then we'll continue your weapon training."

"Right…" Bell remarked as he proceeded to do his training exercises.

* * *

After finishing his routine, Bell collapsed to the ground with a groan. "It felt even harder than last time…"

"Good," Veronica retorted firmly, causing Bell to sit up and look at her in disbelief.

"Hah!?" he bellowed.

"What?"

"How is that good!?"

"It means you're feeling the difference."

"Not a good one! Shouldn't it be easier after doing it a few times?"

Veronica twitched an eyebrow and realized she had yet another conversation to have with the petite goddess but decided to push it from her mind and focus on Bell. "… Forget it, now it's time to train weapons."

Bell nodded and readied a training sword as Mulkula approached Veronica and whispered, "Maybe this time don't make him go all weird, he probably won't remember what he does."

Veronica flattened her brow at the Amazon. "… Didn't you show him the recording of last time?"

The dark-skinned woman winced before laughing weakly. "… Oops."

"Recording…?" Bell wondered in bewilderment.

Further irritated, Veronica turned to him and redirected, "We will deal with that later. For now, I'm going to get you used to pain."

Bell paled and gulped with anxiety.

"If you can hit me once I'll consider you passed."

"Right…" Bell nodded nervously before charging.

Veronica easily swatted his blade aside before jamming her wooden sword against his abdomen, buckling him to the ground. "Again, and don't face your enemy front-on like that, show them your side, make yourself as small a target as possible. Otherwise the stronger ones will hit you easily."

"Right…"

"Now attack!" she ordered firmly.

Bell adjusted his posture to point his body away from Veronica before rushing at her, though she again swatted his sword away before nailing him hard in the arm. "Gah!" he growled as he grasped his bruised bicep.

"Again. And don't just take the blows, try to see where it's coming from and block or dodge it. And in this case, dodge."

"R – Right," he groaned as he readied himself before charging at her once more.

This time Veronica's sword was the one swatted away by Bell's free arm before he prepared to slash at her, only to get a face full of her fist, sending him hurtling back. "Remember. Keep your eye on every part of your opponent and use every part of your body in a fight."

"That's a lot…" he mumbled as he spat a small fleck of blood.

"If you don't do it you'll die. All great Hunters know this."

"R – Right…"

"Good. Again."

Bell rushed at her once again, swatted her sword away, narrowly bent his head away from her fist, and was about to swing before she slammed a knee into his abdomen. But rather than just let it take him to the floor, Bell rolled with his momentum, kicked up to his feet and slashed, which Veronica dodged, only for him to swing his right leg up high and ram it straight against her abdomen.

Veronica, however, was unfazed as she smirked to him. "Very good."

Bell jumped back before paling. "I thought… I thought I kicked you hard…"

Mulkula patted his back with a smirk. "Don't feel bad Li'l Rabbit. Ver here tanks a lot. The material of her armor helps a lot too."

"Huh?"

"The pauldrons, gauntlets and boots are made from the scales of an Ivory Lagiacrus," Veronica explained as she pointed to the armored parts of her uniform, "while the rest is Gigginox hide," she added as she motioned to the main, soft portion of it.

"Whoa…" Bell remarked in awe before following it up with, "What are a Gigginox and Lagiacrus?"

Veronica just stared in disbelief, Mulkula though could barely hide her laughter. "We should get him a Hunter Guidebook."

"Agreed," the blonde sighed.

* * *

Bell breathed hefty sighs and groans as he laid on the ground, covered in bruises and welts.

"You're improving," Veronica complimented before tossing her sword away.

"Well… well it doesn't feel like it…" he grumbled weakly.

"And yet you have."

"Right…"

"Now, let's get you that book."

Bell nodded as he strained to stand himself up.

* * *

Shortly after, they stood in the Guild, with Bell holding a book titled "Basic Guidelines to Beast Hunting", cooing in amazement at the descriptions and information on the creatures within.

Mulkula grinned as she stood over his shoulder. "Having fun, Li'l Rabbit?"

"There's so many different Beasts…"

"Some of which are rather delicious," Veronica commented.

"You… eat them?" Bell asked incredulously.

Mulkula nodded with a hungry grin. "Oh yeah. Like Barroth Tail steak."

"I see…"

With a far more somber expression, Veronica warned, "Beasts that you should be very careful with though are the Raths, Lagiacrus, Gigginox, Khezu, and Agnaktor species as well as any and all Elder Dragons."

"I see," Bell answered is he tried to look through the book for those Beasts.

"And unless you get lucky and they're distracted, try not to bring any of your female allies near a Khezu or Gigginox."

Bell stopped reading swiftly and looked at her in worry. "… Why…?"

Mulkula was the one to answer his question. "Poison that paralyzes people, and they love laying eggs in females."

Bell's face went as white as his hair in horror.

"Yeah. Saw it happen to a few idiot rookie Hunters and some dumbass young Amazons."

Bell's expression fell sadly.

"Lucky for me I ran and got the one chasing me close to a sunbathing Ivory Lagiacrus."

"Which I was in the process of Hunting," Veronica huffed.

Mulkula snickered in amusement. "Yeah. Gave Ver a scare the first time we met."

"R – Really?" Bell questioned in surprise.

"Oh big time. She _jumped_ when I came running into the area with that damn thing hot on my ass."

Bell frowned uncertainly as he looked at Veronica.

The blonde sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't give me that face. The Ivory Lagiacrus killed the cretin and was weakened enough for the two of us to easily fell it."

* * *

 **And fin! Thus ends the second chapter of Worldly Adventurer! Hopefully everyone enjoyed it, be sure to leave a review if you did. If you were confused, uncertain, or simply have questions about anything, let me know with a review and I will answer your questions as best I can in the next reviewer response. Though if it is anything spoiler related you would have better luck in a PM, since I try to avoid spoilers in the reviewer responses since most people do not like them. If what you do not know is certain characters, ask for those ones, since I will not do character lists as it is far too time-consuming and would take up even more of the chapter and my time. If you did not enjoy it, leave your opinions if you must, but do try to be civil about it, or better yet do something you actually enjoy. Anyway, nothing else from me, so until next time, bye-bye!**


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